Car truck



5ml 8 1924. 1,486,135 w. E. wooDARD CAR TRUCK Filed Jan. v, 1.922 2 sheets-sheet 1 1N VEN TOR m N w T T A jan. 8 1924, SLSE.

vv. E. WQODARD CAR TRUCK Filed Jan. v 192.2 2 Sheets-sheet 2 IN VEN TOR 'ATTORNEYS WITNESS.

Patented dan. 8, 31224.

WILLEM E. WOODARD, 0F FOREST HILLS, NEW YORK.

CAR TRUCK.

Application led January To all whom t mycmwern':

Be it known that l, WILLrAM E. WOOD- ARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Forest Hills, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented cer-l4 tain new and useful Improvements 1n Car of thecar body is supported upon a bolster which in turn rests upon springs and spring planks, the latter of which are supported from the truck structure by means of links.

One of the primary objects of my invention is to provide a simple and 'effective means whereby the height of the truck bolster may be readily adjusted in order to bring the platform of a car carried thereon to the level of adjacent platforms or to'vary the height of couplers or steps. A

Another of the objects of my invention is the provision of means of the character described which are suitable to the heavier construction of trucks now in use.

Among the more specific objects of my invention is the provision of an inexpensive means for varying the height of the truck which may be adjusted very readily.

accomplish the foregoing, together with such other objects as may herelnafter appear, or are incident to my invention, by means of-a construction which I have illustrated in preferred form in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view taken through a four-wheel car truck on theline 1 1 of Fig. 2, illustrating the application of my invention thereto; Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 illustrates the manner in which adjustment is effected and also a springplank embodying some modified features of my invention; Fig. 4 is a bottom plan View of a spring ,plank such as shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a bottom plan View of the height adjusting means; and Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic plan view of a truck such as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Referring now to the figures, only such portions of the truck proper-which may e of any preferred construction-as are necessary to an understanding o f the invention will be described. The frame A has transoms 7 between which is a swing or lateral motion bolster 8` the ends of which 7, 192e. serial no. 527,555.

rest upon the pairs of semi-elliptiey springs 9, which in turn are carried on a novel form of spring plank 10 suspended from the transoms 7 by means of the swing links or hangers 11. Special height adjusting wedgelike members or blocks B are interposed between the lower face of the spring plank and the swing link blocks 12.

For reasons which will appear in the dcscription of the construction of the spring plank, I prefer to construct the blocks B with three tongues 13. Considered as a whole, each block B is a wedge increasing in thickness from the base portion lll toward-the end of the tongues or forks 13. In the lower face of each block are a plurality of seats 15 which are in stepped relation by virtue of the general construction of the block.

The spring planks are lianged at the sides as indicated at 102l so that in cross section they are channel shaped: and they are further reinforced or strengthened b v -means vof the pairs of spaced, longitudinalljv extending ribs 10b. At their outer ends the ribs 10b depend below the flanges 10*` to provide the jacking spots 10c in F igs. 2, 3 and 4. They have the additional function, in the construction shown in Fig. 2, of preventing inward movement of the lower ends of the swing links.

It will be apparent. from the foregt-)ingl that the height of the bolster depends upon the position of the adjusting wedges ll.

When it is desired to adjust the height of` the truck bolster, the car is preferably placed over a pit so that jacks can be placed under the jacking spots7 of the spring plank. Onrai'sing the jacks the spring plank with the parts supported thereon are elevated, thus leaving the swing links freey although still maintained in substantially proper position by the projecting jacking spots. When the spring plank is raised sufficiently to relieve the swing links of weight, the adjustable blocks are placed in a position corresponding with the height required, the jacks are lowered and the car is ready for service.

ByA making the adjusting blocks of the construction shown they are accommodated to the peculiar construction of the spring plank Without impairing the strength of the latter. At the same time relative displacement of the blocksl laterally with respect to the plank is prevented. l

l the seats l5.

is another means for positioning the aoljusting blocks relative tothe spring plank, the. blocks and the spring plank may be provided with interengaging means such as the lugs Zll and the pockets 2l (see Figs. 3, 4t and a). .as there shown, the lugs 20 are formed; on the spring plank and the recesses 2l are formed in the upper face oit the acljusting blot-lts, one being opposite each of l. ln a car truck, the combination of a frame, a lateral motion bolster', swing hangers by which said bolster is suspended from the frame, and adjusting blocks between the swing hangers and the bolster, each of said blocks being provided with a plurality of stepped seats and the blocks being adjustable by movement toward'and awaytroin each other longitudinally of the bolster.

2. ln a car truck1 the combination of a frame, a lateral motion bolster, a. spring plank on whichsaid bolster is spring supported, swing hangers by which said spring plank is suspended fro-1n the iframe, and adjusting blocks interposed between the swing hangers and the spring plank, said adjusting blocks being provided with a plurality of stepped seats and being adplank and adjusting blocks whereby the` latter-are held in positions oi' adjustnientf 4. An adjusting block Jfor truck swing hangers oi' a general wedge shape and provided with a plurality of swing link or hanger seats.

5. ln a car truck,the combination of a trame a, lateral motion bolster, swing hanginsonne ers by which said bolster is suspended troni the trame, and incline plane rneans to vary the vertical relation oif the parts.

6. An adjusting block for truck swing hangers having a plurality of swing hanger or link seats arranged in stepped relation and so disposed that when the block is shifted bodily in a plane transverse the swing links, a different seat is presented.,

7. 'ln a ear truck, the combination of a frame, a lateral motion bolster, swing hangers by which said bolster is suspended from the trame, and adjusting blocks between the swing hangers and the bolster, said blocks being wedge shaped and adjustable on movement toward or away from each other.

8. lln a. truek,`the combination of a frame. a spring supported bolster a spring plank, swing links for supporting the plank, and jackingspots on the plank which act to position the links whenthe load is released.

9. ln a truck, the combination of a frame, aspring supported bolster, a spring plank of channel shape vin cross section, swing .links for supporting the pla-nk., and a'jacking spot near each end of the plank, said spots acting to position the links when the the bolster, said reinforcing acting as a.

guide for the, adjustment blocks.

l2. ln a. ear truclnthe combination of a frame, a lateral motion bolster a spring plank, swing hangers, wedging means ben tween the spring plank and hangers, and means for positioning the swing links.

ln testimony whereof, l have hereunto signed my name.,

llTllJLlAli/l E. lVODi/allll. 

